688 A Gift from Holy Rock City Part 1 (1/2)
Duke Bard followed the cue, smiled, and said, ”Irene, does Your Highness, Saleen, have the intention of joining Holy Rock City in attacking the Tanggulasi Empire?”
”Duke, you will have to discuss this with my King yourself. The only way to get to Tanggulasi from Metatrin is through Luolan.”
Although Irene did not hold a rank of nobility in the past, she was still a member of a noble family. With regards to such probing questions, she knew that the right thing to do was to not give an outright answer. If she had given the wrong answer, Saleen would be unhappy.
”You can pass through Laiyin Duchy as well,” Duke Bard said with a smile. His expression was a friendly one and it was as if his dispute with Irene just now never happened.
”Provided Sikeqinya is agreeable, otherwise wouldn't we be giving Holy Rock City trouble?” Irene replied calmly.
Bard did not manage to obtain any information. He thought to himself, ”This Saleen gave the title of 'Duke' to four people just as he was still building up his Kingdom. Although it sounds ridiculous, it was actually a good way to tie the noble families to his side. This Irene is already a Duke at such a young age, there is no way others will be able to tempt her away from Saleen.”
Holy Rock City could not possibly give her the privileges of a Duke. Since it was not possible, there was no loophole in what Saleen did. Before he left, Prince Safilos had tasked Bard with observing how the internal affairs of Metatrin were run. At the moment, he could see no weaknesses. Of the four Dukes, this lady from the Williams family should be the easiest to be bought over.
Bard reached Metatrin City with a conflicted feeling. The city walls of Metatrin City were so grand that Bard felt giddy looking at them. This time around, even the sorcerers, Tiffany and Stephanie, were impressed. Holy Rock City did not send any spies and only obtained information from some merchants. Without the support of magic projection, no one knew how majestic Metatrin City looked.
By right, sorcerers from Holy Rock City should not be thinking this way. The snow-white city walls of Metatrin City looked so flawless, it was as if they were cut out using magic. Even though a battle had just taken place not long ago, it was already thoroughly cleaned up with magic. Dante's Sequence extended through several miles. Any mage that came before the city wall would not be able to help but feel awed.
”This must be worth quite a fortune!” Tiffany was impressed.
This time, Stephanie did not say much. Dante's Sequence surpassed the Figaro Magic Formula so a lot of materials must have been used to build up this city wall.
The city gates opened and magic gun salutes sounded. Even the low-ranking officers in the group of envoys had to give Metatrin some respect. They were originally chatting away by themselves, but the moment they saw Metatrin City, they naturally shut up.
This city had the looks of the capital of a Kingdom. It was even fit to be the royal capital of an Empire.
Saleen still did not come forth to extend his welcome. Instead, it was Daniel who received them in the city. As someone who was in charge of the daily political duties of the city and as a grade-6 death mage, it was still befitting of his status to receive an Empire's Duke.
Daniel's welcome was another blow to Bard. When Saleen reorganized his forces, he specially ensured that there would be an army of spirits of the dead. Even though Daniel was in charge of the daily political duties, he was also the leader of this army of spirits of the dead.
Therefore, when Daniel came forth to extend his welcome, he was riding on the gigantic pikoosi and hundreds of spirits of the dead soldiers followed behind. These soldiers were not skeletons, instead they were zombies of a higher level. These zombies wore armor and did not smell at all. They had all been cleansed with death magic and the soul flames in their eyes were purple in color.
Daniel was all smiles as Tiffany came closer to Bard. Daniel was courteous and performed a mage's greeting to Grand Sorcerer Tiffany first before saying to Bard, ”Your Grace, welcome to Metatrin City!”
Although he sounded courteous and respectful, Daniel did not dismount from the pikoosi. He instead stood on the pikoosi's forehead and it was as if he was looking down on them.
Bard did not dare to approach so he could only reciprocate the greeting as he was afraid that Daniel would get closer. If Daniel got too close, Bard's warhorse would not be able to take it. Their mount's difference in grades was too great. Bard's warhorse was probably only a grade-2 magic beast.
The pikoosi's three enormous heads swung to the left and right. When they saw the two mages behind Bard, they stopped dead in their tracks.
”My Lord invites everyone to the palace straightaway,” Daniel noticed the grade-8 sorcerers in the party as well and was in awe. He spoke with more respect now.
By right, the three-thousand soldiers that had escorted the group of envoys should stay in western town. Saleen did not give such a command so everyone was led to Metatrin City. Under Daniel's command, his own officers took over the escorting of Bard and the group of envoys so that the soldiers could be led to the campsites in the city.
The streets were extremely wide and Saleen had arranged for crowds to gather on both sides. The low-ranking officials in the group took out some coins and threw them to the sides. The people that made up the crowd were mainly soldiers that were on leave so only a few kids bothered to pick up the coins.
Irene was assured. From the beginning, Saleen's soldiers were trained in discipline instead of combat skills. Without their officer's order, none of the soldiers picked up the coins. The coins thrown out were all bronze coins so they were not that attractive anyway.